This invention relates to an assembly which can be disposed in a water pond, pool, tank, stream or other water containment means, which includes a weighted base, a telescopically adjustable column extending vertically from the base and a receptacle affixed to an upper end of the column in which water plants or other vegetation can be hydroponically grown. The receptacle can be arranged to float on the surface of the water so that it and an upper section of the column can rise and fall with variations in the water level. In the alternative, the height of the receptacle above the base can be adjusted and fixed.
Broadly speaking, the use of floatable pots or receptacles for water plants and other vegetation is old and well known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,838 granted to C. M. Asher on Jan. 18, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,641 granted to A. L. Dietz on Aug. 16, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,686,389 granted to C. B. Rozell on Aug. 17, 1954. Such floating receptacles typically are in the form of a flower pot containing a surrounding flotation collar. A problem which can be encountered in the use of such prior art floating receptacles is that they tend to drift about within the confines of the body of water in which they are disposed. This is desirable in the Dietz patent wherein he purposely moves floating pots containing plants in a circular path around a cylindrically shaped water tank under a light source. But in many cases such movement would be a disadvantage. The Asher patent deals with the problem of drift by suspending a weighted object in the nature of a ballast or anchor below a floating plant receptacle by means of lines. Presumably the anchor lies upon the bottom of the water pool in which the receptacle floats. But unless the anchor is sufficiently massive in comparison with the pot from which it is suspended, the latter may continue drifting movement by dragging the anchor. Certainly, if the lines are loose, as they will be from time to time provided the weight rests fully on the bottom of the pool, a certain amount of drifting will occur even if the anchor holds its position.
I have determined that it would be desirable to provide an assembly for a floatable receptacle which rests upon the bottom of a pool of water and confines the floatable receptacle to a fixed position of the water surface. The assembly should permit the receptacle to float up and down on the water surface as its level changes. In the alternative, as in cases where the water level does not change, the assembly should provide for setting the receptacle at one of several different heights so that such a fixed arrangement can be used in different pools or tanks wherein the depth varies.
By means of my invention, these and other difficulties encountered in the prior art are substantially overcome.
It is an object of my invention to provide an assembly for a water plant receptacle wherein the receptacle can float on the surface of a water pond, pool, stream, tank or the like to take advantage of changes in water level but cannot drift from a fixed position.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an assembly for supporting a water plant receptacle, which receptacle can be fixedly adjusted in height above a base of the assembly for use in different water containment means having different depths.
Briefly, in accordance with my invention, there is provided an adjustable water plant container assembly. The assembly includes a weightable base for stable disposition on the floor of a water containment means and a telescopically height adjustable vertically extending column attached on a lower end thereof to the base. The assembly also includes a water plant receptacle fixedly attached to an upper end of the supporting column.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and attached drawings upon which, by way of example, only a preferred and certain important alternative embodiments of my invention are described and shown.